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Again, was the thief a bible believer? NO he was not..he just believed Jesus. Yet only the educated and the rabbis had access to the scrolls. The scrolls were NOT in the hands of the common people.

The thief didn't just "believed Jesus". Read the story

Luke 23:39-43New American Standard Bible (NASB)

39 One of the criminals who were hanged there was [a]hurling abuse at Him, saying, “Are You not the [b]Christ? Save Yourself and us!” 40 But the other answered, and rebuking him said, “Do you not even fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? 41 And we indeed are suffering justly, for we are receiving [c]what we deserve for our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” 42 And he was saying, “Jesus, remember me when You come [d]in Your kingdom!” 43 And He said to him, “Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise.”

what happened in order1. One thief hanging was questioning Christs deity "if you are the Christ, save us and yourself!"
(a.k.a show us you are truly the Christ)2. The other thief asked that person "DO you not Fear GOD? since you are under the same condemnation?
So this Thief defended Jesus deity, acknowledged his FATHER as the condemner. And there is sentences of condemnation that are REAL. 3. The Thief boldly went to proclaim the truth, that Christ "Did NOTHING WRONG" (in proclaiming to be the Savior & Gods Son, healing people, showing love and forgiveness, assigning a new covenant based on love). He also acknowledged that it is the DEEDS of the flesh that condemns us and that condemnation belongs to the Father, the same Spirit who sent us a life-giver so that we may live.4. The Thief said REMEMBER ME when you come into your Kingdom! WOW, he acknowledged his holiness of being so mighty he has HIS OWN KINGDOM. So with everything that he said, he is truly saved. Thus Jesus said "Truly I say to you, today you shall be with me in paradise"

In answer to the question posed in the threads title, Jesus died for everyone without exception. That doesn't mean that all men are saved, but that Jesus paid the penalty for the sins of the entire human race so that anyone who places his faith in Jesus is eternally saved.

John 3:16"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes on Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.

How a believer who after having been saved tends to his spiritual life is a different issue. God expects the believer to grow up spiritually, but whether he does or not he has eternal life given to him as a free gift which is received by grace through faith alone in Christ Jesus.

Eph. 2:8For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;9]not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.

1 Timothy 2:4
... who desires ALL people to be saved and come to full knowledge of [the] truth.

It's an active, ongoing result of a previous action.

And in the ongoing result of that action; desires (wants, wills) ALL MEN to be saved and come to the knowledge of truth. The action is indicative. Nowhere is it subjunctive, or that of being contingent or probable, nor imperative on the subjects response. Neither is it Optative, as in being unlikely or that of wishful thinking.

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